When they are the ONLY one left out

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I picked Sammy and Quinn up from daycare on Monday, as usual. When I asked Sammy's teacher Miss KayKay how she was that day she told me that she was good until after nap time. I asked her if she knew the reason and she told me it was the summer camp field trip.

At daycare the do a summer camp for kids that are 4 years old and for kids that are older than 5 years old. It costs $250 a person and they take many field trips....maybe everyday...not sure...all through the summer. With our commitment to the Dave Ramsey way with money we didn't sign Sammy up this year...we just really could not afford it.

So after Miss KayKay told me she was having issues when the other kids left for the field trip. She said that she was really upset and crying and just having a hard time. That is when I found out that Sammy was the only person in her class that wasn't attending Summer Camp...yeah...seriously. I felt horrible. I had no idea she was the only one being left out of all the fun.

Prior to Summer Camp starting I talked with Sammy and told her that she would not be able to go and why. I explained that we really just didn't have the money for it and told her that we would do fun things as a family this summer instead. And I promised that she could go on the final field trip that was open to all the kids at daycare...going to the Zoo in August. She was sad that she wouldn't get to do everything...and cried...but she said she understood and seemed okay with it.

After I found out that she was the only one who wasn't going I told Nate and he felt horrible too. How could we deprive our kid of the fun that EVERYONE else was having. How could we ask a four-year-old to understand. So we took her aside and talked to her about it again and told her how sorry we were that she couldn't go and told her what fun, free things we would be doing as a family this summer. She was still sad, but seemed to understand.

After Sammy went to bed that night Nate and I talked about it some more. We really can not afford the extra expense...but we just feel bad. After talking it became clear to me... I was reminded that it is sometimes good for people to go without and know that they can't have everything. I think one of the things that is horribly wrong with our society today is that everyone has a sense of entitlement...that they "deserve" this or that because they are alive. I don't want my children to have those same issues...so I guess in a way this is a blessing. Sammy is by no means deprived of fun or many good things in life...so missing out a little from time to time isn't always bad.

Thoughts?